Thirst For Freedom - Part 1

Posted on Sun Aug 25th, 2024 @ 6:19pm by Charles Xavier & Scott Summers & Connor Bruin & Hank McCoy & Iris Walker & Bliss Hawkins & Hayden Davis & Ethan Hale & Aurora Summers & Jean Grey & Kennedy Kelly & Maeve MacKenna & Kayleigh Marshall

9,410 words; about a 47 minute read

Mission: Episode 5: Days of Fortune Past
Location: Potomac Park / Lincoln Memorial - Washington DC
Timeline: October 21, 1990

Lincoln Memorial

“That’s already a lot of people.” Jean dared to sneak a peek at the massive crowd that had gathered outside the Lincoln Memorial. A temporary stage had been erected in front of the memorial, the place where today’s march would end and the crowds would stand united. What was to be the first of many, today’s events were the start of the mutant rights movement in response to the MRA going into effect.

Of course, Professor Xavier had been asked to speak at the event. His voice was one of the loudest when it came to advocating for mutant rights.

“When did you stop getting nervous?” Jean asked as she made her way back to Xavier’s side. The redhead was frequently his companion when he made public appearances. Her own voice and face were becoming a cornerstone on the political and civil landscape. Jean was an extension of Xavier and when he grew weary of the public eye she would become his replacement. “I’m hardly saying anything today and I’m nervous, all those voices outside. It’s a lot to take in.”

"When people imagine a fear of public speaking, it is not ten or twenty or a hundred they fear, but a multitude," Xavier said calmly. "But there is power to be had when you have the undivided attention of so many. Addressing a hundred thousand minds puts you at the helm of the zeitgeist of our time. Do not speak to the multitude. Speak to the spirit channeled by their common cause. Speak to it as a singular entity, just you and it. Persuade it and you will have won over the hundred thousand." He gave her a smirking side-eye. "Of course, it doesn't hurt to isolate oneself until the appropriate time."

Jean nodded her head in agreement. While her telekinetic shield provided an unseen layer of protection for both her and Xavier, she was also here to learn how to do this, to instill hope and goodwill with just words alone. It was a skill that went beyond telepathy.

“I just hope the message remains clear and pure today. A peaceful protest and acknowledgment of mutants and what is being taken away.” Jean was about to say more when both her and Xavier paused thanks to Cyclops’s telepathic reach to both of them.

~* ‘You’re getting better and better at that, your teacher must be really good.’ *~ Jean sniggered at her own joke before she continued the shared conversation with Scott and Xavier but she soon sobered up and returned to their current mission. ~* ‘We’re in position and waiting for the march to start, currently no clear or present danger at the Lincoln Memorial but the turn out is much greater than anticipated. How is Potomac Park? Any sign of the bus yet?’ *~

~Which bus?~ Scott quipped. While he wasn't the official organizer at the rally point on the other side of the bridge from Washington and the Lincoln Memorial, he still stood out like a sore thumb. His baseball cap did little to hide his visor which he wore in favor of glasses. The additional scanners Reed had installed may come in handy, to say nothing of the security over his ruby-quartz frames. ~Public transit is dropping off people left and right. The turnout is way better than we had hoped~

~Mutants may be a minority, but tyranny has brought many enemies together into a common defense. I pray public demonstrations such as this one are all the defense we will require~ Xavier allowed his mind to drift through the sea of people for a moment, taking stock of any potential threats. So far, the demonstrators rallied at Potomac Park were genuine in their motives though a little scared. It wasn't until he detected a cluster of familiar minds that he brightened. ~They are near. Look due west~

---

Potomac Park

The bus pulled to a stop along with a long line of others. Hundreds of people were offloading and joining the throng of protesters, adding their nervous energies to the crowd. The march would begin at the circle round Potomac Park and cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge where they would gather at the Lincoln Memorial. If traffic became disrupted, then so be it. The voice of the people would be heard.

As the bus door opened, Scott made a nonchalant approach in hopes of not drawing too much attention. "Hank," he said with a nod.

Hank replied with a curt nod of his own. "Scott."

So they still weren't doing well. That was to be expected, he supposed. Scott climbed the first two steps and leaned inside the open door. "There's a park restroom I've closed with a fake maintenance sign where anyone can change into their uniform who is not wearing it already. Professor Xavier and Jean are already on the far side waiting for the march to reach them. I'll be watching from the crowd, but once you reveal your uniforms, all eyes will be on you." He smirked at the Alternate Class which had replaced his founding team. "Make us proud."

Maeve was taking in the wonder of the trip. The bus journey had been a long one, especially whilst sitting on a bus but the countryside of the United States was something to behold as they made their way southwest to Washington DC. There was also something soothing about the slight strange change of feel of the ground beneath them as they moved through each place to get to their destination.

She'd not interacted with many of the original X-Men apart from Hank and if you wanted to include Professor Xavier I guess you could. Scott and Jean she'd only seen from afar and sometimes she caught herself looking at Scott with more interest than a 17 year old should. A little crush was healthy but she was brought back to earth, no pun intended, as she pulled at her hoody that she wore over her uniform. She wasn't sure she was quite ready to be the centre of attention.

Careful to not make a sound, Iris stepped off the bus and beamed at Scott and Hank, hoping she was at least able to demonstrate her newfound ability to friends before being in public took over and she was invisible once again.

"Watch your step," Scott said to Iris, noting her over the top caution.

Iris positively beamed at this. “That’s something I’ve been working on,” she explained. “Being visible when I want to. I’m surprised nobody on the bus noticed that they could see me the whole trip! I’ve been bursting for someone to mention it!”

Scott did a double take. She was right. He noticed her before she had drawn attention to herself. "Hey, that's fantastic. A little progress every day adds up to a lot over time." He clapped her on the shoulder and then ushered her forward.

"WELL DONE, IRIS!" Connor signed before exiting the bus with a single hop and caught up to her with ease. He had always been able to visualize her in a way that others couldn't, so that even if he couldn't register her with his eyes and ears, he somehow knew her approximate location. "I TOOK IT FOR GRANTED BUT YOU ARE RIGHT. YOU DID NOT DISAPPEAR EVEN ONCE."

“Thanks!” replied Iris, still beaming. “I still have trouble being visible in unfamiliar situations, but I’m going to try, because this whole thing is about being seen, right?”

"YES." Connor looked nervous about that himself. He didn't like being stared at by individuals, much less multitudes. "IF YOU CAN SHOW YOURSELF, THEN EVERYONE CAN."

Aurora offered a smile as she looked towards Connor and Iris. “Mutants are here to stay, people are going to have to get used to that eventually."

Ethan could have activated the feature on his uniform to make him look normal. Well as normal as a person with wings could look. He would have looked more like Warren, or possibly even a heavenly angel. It would have been a wise choice, especially since he looked even more feral in his natural state after his return from the Savage Lands.

He'd thought about it, even given the matter serious consideration but that would have been the easy solution. Ethan rarely took the easy way out. He wasn't in the mood to start

He stepped off the bus, expecting there might be trouble, he was kind of looking forward to the possiblity.

Kayleigh had accompanied the others to the march, she wasn’t a part of the x-men yet but she wanted to support the rights of mutants. Stepping off the bus she tagged along with everyone else.

Hayden picked up the backpack that she had put her uniform in and was thankful that the forward team secured a place for them to change. She was walking up when she noticed Maeve in a hoodie. Hayden peeled off into the seat in front of her. "Hey, you don't have to hide in a hoodie. Everyone here is a mutant. Besides, I bet there'll be at least one individual out in all of those mutants that'll be wearing only trunks. And they'll get all the attention." She giggled and leaned forward to whisper, "I mean, seriously, just wearing underpants as a uniform or clothing?" Hayden pressed her mouth closed as she stifled a full-blown laugh. She was only trying to lighten the mood for her new friend, not cast shadow on anyone that happened to be in trunks.

"I'm not hiding..." Maeve defended. "Not really. I just feel a bit 'naked' in this uniform. Does that make sense?" she asked. Hayden either didn't hear her or did so and answered it mostly anyway. The idea of running around in underwear mortified Maeve and she was glad for her one-piece green uniform designed with a Celtic vibe with what looked like vines or leafage throughout. It was beautifully made. However, riding to and from places in it was not ideal and wearing the hoody gave her some anonymity.

Hank swallowed a lump in his throat as he overheard the girls. Dressed in his trenchcoat and fedora to hide his appearance, he was still wearing his strongman trunks beneath. Agility was as important as strength, and he preferred not to impinge his movement while on mission. To think that people looked on him and laughed... it was the sort of confirmation he never wanted to hear.

Bliss stepped off the bus with a bounce in her step. She rolled past the girls making the unfortunate comments with a subtle roll of her eyes. She went directly to Dr. McCoy with one of her best smiles.

"Hey, Doc, mind if I hang out with you during this walk? I'd really enjoy some company with somebody who can carry a natural conversation about something besides fashion magazines." She was wearing a hoodie and tights, her uniform was underneath the hoodie. "I'm just looking for somebody who's not going to judge me on my appearance."

"You are too kind, Bliss," said Hank with perturbation throughout his body language. "However, I, uh, need to go park the bus." He wanted to avoid people for the time being, but Bliss's electric smile took the wind from the sails of his misanthropy. "We may catch up later, though, if you wish." He circled the bus one more time to ensure the wheels were clear before he climbed back into the driver's seat to drive it to the parking lot.

Bliss was clearly disappointed with his response, but she understood duty.

"Yes, I'd like to catch up later. Try to keep out of trouble, ok?"
With that, she wandered back to the other bus passengers, her hands buried in her pockets.

Iris had watched the exchange from a distance. She offered Bliss a sad smile as she returned to the group. “Don’t mind him,” she told her. “He’s still upset about Mara. And I don’t think he and Scott are on speaking terms, so…” She shrugged as if that should explain everything.

Aurora remained alongside Connor for now, she was doing her best to ignore the sheer input of minds both human and mutant that were flooding her telepathic senses. She had learned a lot from Professor Xavier and was learning more from Jean as well.

After the bus had driven away and everyone was more or less milling about, Scott nodded over his shoulder. "Come on. This way to the changing area."

It was indeed as described. A structure with green metal roof and beige stucco walls on a concrete slab with and a drinking fountain out front showed OUT OF ORDER signs on both restroom doors. Scott jimmied the busted handles and let them inside. "Go on before anyone sees. I'll stand watch."

Too bad I haven’t figured out how to extend my powers, thought Iris as she ducked into the lady's side. I could just hide the whole building. it didn’t matter, though. Instead of worrying about it, she got to work changing into her flat black hidable uniform.

“I don’t need to change.” Aurora stood outside by Scott, having already arrived in her suit. Instead, she stood waiting for the others to return.

“I don’t have a uniform yet.” Kayleigh offered a wry smile.

Kennedy tucked a few stray blonde hairs underneath the hood of her costume as she examined herself in the mirror of the women’s restroom. Leaning against the bathroom sink she carefully applied a bright red lipstick to her lips, the color in sharp contrast to the green of her uniform.

Between the domino mask and the hood she wore, only the bottom half of her face was exposed to the public. She was grateful for the disguise, her family’s faces had been all over the news as of late, serving as a constant reminder that her father’s death was the catalyst for what brought them here. Being recognized as a Kelly was less than desirable on a day like today.

Hayden zipped the front of her uniform all the way up and then back down just a bit. She stuffed her regular clothes in the backpack after putting on the boots. With the bus parked, she wondered if she'd be carrying it around the whole time. She simply shrugged and hoisted it onto her back.

Maeve had followed the group into the bathroom and removed her hoody and her tights to reveal her uniform. She had a small holdall that she'd brought and put them in there. For some reason, she still wasn't entirely comfortable in this one-piece suit.

Bliss leaned back against the wall and pulled out her pack of gum and offered Scott her precious few remaining pieces.
"Chocolate mint?"

"No, thank you," Scott said plainly. "Hypocrites are allergic to chocolate."

Bliss shrugged. So much for peace gestures. "More for me, then."

Exiting the bathroom, Kennedy understood what Scott had meant when he said that all eyes would be on them. The X-Men attire immediately caught the crowd’s eye and a buzz of whispers of recognition started. Their uniforms stood for something on a day like today, so Kennedy leaned into the recognition it created. Standing tall and with shoulders squared she walked into the crowd and began to wave and greet people. Kennedy had been raised in preparation for the limelight so she smiled and schmoozed just as she had been taught to.

Iris noticed it, too, and concentrated on being visible. She wouldn’t really have any way to know if she had succeeded unless someone said something to her. Would this ever get any easier? She exhaled and shook her head...dang, this was different than the Beat Street. She smiled and started walking out into the crowd.

"Wow! Are you an X-Man?" asked a junior high-aged girl who was no shorter than Iris.

“Sure am!” beamed Iris, silently congratulating herself on staying visible in this crowd. It was taking a lot of concentration, and she was sure she would fall asleep on the bus back home, but it would all be worth it. “I’d show you my powers, but it’s kinda hard to tell what they are,” she added. “I’m… ignorable.”

"Ignorable?" the girl repeated, unsure of what that was supposed to mean. "But... I can... see you."

“Because I’m concentrating on being seen,” Iris explained. “But as soon as nobody is paying attention, then I sorta slip out of notice. I can be standing right before you and you wouldn’t see me. It means I’m a great spy, but cameras can still see me. I’m working on a way to get around that,” she added conspiratorially.

Connor didn't want to mingle with the crowd of people, so he slipped around the back of the restroom building, hoisted himself up to the roof, and hollered at the crowd. Once he had the attention of those nearby, he crossed his arms in an X over his chest that mimed the gigantic one on his uniform and then raised both fists in the air. He threw his head back like a rock star and let out a hoot for all to hear.

Most people were taken back, but a few people joined in and added their cheers to Connor's hoots. Fists were raised in solidarity for the protest that would come next.

Bliss hopped up from the loquacious Scott to look at Connor from the edge of the roof. He really did have a knack for this PR-type thing.

"Hey, boss, where do you want me? Mingled in the crowd in costume or undercover? If you really want me to be visible I can certainly fly over the crowd, that'll get people cheering hopefully."

"UNIFORM FIRST," Connor signed and his device stated. The part the X-Men were to play was the vanguard in the march, leading the frontline of the crowd arm-in-arm across the bridge as mutant shields against the slurs and stones of any counter-protesters along the way. "THEN FLY."

Bliss nodded with a jaunty salute. She began to unzip the hoodie, showing her uniform underneath.
"Roger that. This hoodie is yours. I can give it back to you now or after the show. Which one do you want?"

"KEEP IT," Connor said before running to the other side of the roof to throw hands and take bows to the crowd gathered over there.

Bliss started to say something, but Connor was too busy and didn't care in the first place. It was ok, he was over her. It's a good thing since today was likely going to be her last day around. She would do everything in her power to defend her team and the marchers. Today would go into the history books. She had no doubt that the mutual haters try to hurt or kill someone. She would give her life to prevent that from happening. She'd be forgotten by her teammates. Half of them hated her anyway. She was the one that broke Connor's heart, after all.

Bliss would find that opportunity to go out in a blaze of glory at just the right moment to sway opinion to the side of the mutants. It would only cost the life of one willing martyr. That was a price she was willing to make.

Bliss looked at Connor from his spot with unspoken regret before hopping down from the roof. She disappeared into the nearby crowd. If they cared about why she did it, it was all in her journal.

It was slightly overwhelming, the amount of attention. When it was said all eyes would be on them she didn't think literally ALL of them would be. Not all of them looked favourably on them and some sneers or snide looks were given. Some awkward shouts that made Maeve rub the back of her neck in a nervous habit but most of the people seemed to be quite pleasant and ask who they were, what their powers were, etc.

Despite her dark mood, Bliss was able to find people who were interested in her. Children were always drawn to her. Today it seemed to be a class of kids from a local special needs school. One little boy in a wheelchair was being pushed by his classmates. His legs didn't work correctly so he was forced to lag behind.

Her mask hid her sad expression, but the joy in the boys face at meeting and actual X-Man was quite infectious. She knelt down and talked quietly between the two of them, even though they were surrounded by throngs of supporters.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Atticus..." The thrilled boy stuttered. The child couldn't walk and his hands were misshapen as well. She's
smoothed her hand gently over his head with a tender expression.

"Atticus would you like to see the gathering from a better point of view?"

The boy nodded eagerly.

Escapade smiled that winning smile and cradled the young mutant in her arms. She whispered in his ear, and his face lit up even more.

"Up up and away!"

With that, the pair of new friends sped off into the sky. They did a couple of orbits of the grounds of the parade, Atticus waving to the cheering crowd. Escapade made sure that the child had the ride of a lifetime before returning him to his class. They greeted them back with cheers and waves of their hands, as if Atticus was a conquering hero.

"Atticus, I want you to keep doing your best in school, and if I can I'll come and visit you guys sometime soon. You guys are the real heroes. I'm lucky to have met you all."

Kennedy had gone to great lengths to avoid interacting with the younger students at the school, when requested to mentor a junior student she had intentionally remained absent. Children reminded her of her lost brother and sister. Her brother was old enough to remember her but still young enough to be malleable, whatever story was provided to him he would willingly believe. Her little sister was so young that she would have few memories of Kennedy to recall as she aged, it would be easy for her to forget Kennedy. Despite the ease that she would be removed from her sibling's lives, it was one of the missing pieces that hurt Kennedy the most. So she ran from anyone that reminded her of what she had lost. But today felt different, there was kindness and enthusiasm in the children she spoke to along with that optimistic buzz that the whole crowd emitted. Much like her time in the Savage Land, the thanks and appreciation made Kennedy feel good. It gave her purpose and direction that was sorely missing. For the first time in months, when a child of twelve or six spoke to her, it didn't break Kennedy's heart, instead it filled it.

Kayleigh was enjoying mingling with other mutants, not just those from the Mansion but those who’d turned out for the march in support of their own kind.

Before long, a deep, glossy voice spoke out above the hubbub of the crowd. News reporters and cameramen surrounded him on one side, leaving wide open shots to capture the crowd on the other. Once he had everyone's attention, he began his invocation.

“Good mornin’,” said the Reverend. He looked stern and gruff, but then he smiled and the smile lit up his eyes. He gave off an air of confidence, along with a definite ‘you’d best be on your best behavior’ vibe that couldn’t be ignored, yet he was also warm and caring. Everything anybody could possibly want in a religious leader.

“Good mornin’,” he repeated in his southern drawl once the crowd had quieted. “My name is Thomas Jefferson Whitney, but my friends all call me TJ. Thank you all for coming. Most of you are probably mutants; the rest of us human allies. We are here today because rights are being trampled and we won’t stand for it. This country was founded on freedom- freedom to worship as we choose and to live as we choose. Freedom to be who we are. Forcing some of us to register because of our genetic makeup is, to put it mildly, not okay. We have come here today to protest this Mutant Registration Act and to tell our lawmakers that it is not okay.

“However, when protesting, it is imperative to remain peaceful. Give them no reason to think they were right. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that true pacifism- or nonviolent resistance- is a courageous confrontation of evil by the power of love. Be courageous today by being peaceful.

“And now we ask God’s protection on our numbers and even for those who hate us. Let no ill fate befall any gathered here today, whether in protest or support of the laws so recently passed. With that, I’ll ask the X-Men to join me in leading our march.” And amidst cheers, he stepped from the podium to join the X-Men at the front of the line. “Ready to go?” he asked, more out of courtesy than anything; it was clear they were all ready.

Connor somersaulted off the rooftop and trotted to the front of the line near the bridge. All eyes were on him, so he stared straight ahead. Traffic had been cleared on the bridge, which was itself a monumental feat. Protest permits, redirecting vehicles, so much effort had gone into this one act of speaking truth to power. And Connor felt it all on his head.

Tunnel vision began to set in. Walkways on either side were lined with picketers, though no clear delineation was made between them. Here one sign called for overturning the MRA while another promoted blatant genocide. By far, however, the crowd appeared to be in overwhelming support of the marchers, at least as far as Connor could see. A police presence kept the protesters in line with mostly peaceful expressions.

Taking a breath, Connor prepared himself. This was the moment he had spent days preparing to meet and he was determined to get it right. Relaxing his chest, his throat, his jaw, he concentrated on his thought and then tried to relax his entire body like a puppet cut from its strings.

"T-to... m-m-muh-mee... X... M-m-en!" His jaw quivered from the effort, but his voice rang out strong and true. His stammered delay was blessedly washed out as his words blended together and carried over the great distance. Holding out his arms to either side, Connor gestured for the team to link up and take point.

With a whoop, Iris took up a position near her friend. They hadn’t had a chance to hang out lately, so she didn’t know if he’d been practicing speaking or if he’d just managed to force it out of his mouth, but it didn’t really matter in the end. She gave him a big grin and thumbs up.

Aurora was next to join Connor and Iris, offering a warm smile as she did so. She looked around keeping an eye on those around them, her senses alert for trouble.

Hayden took up a position with the others and got ready for the march ahead. She could feel the excitement in the air.

Ethan was of course tempted to take to the air, both to fly overwatch, you never knew what trouble might be lurking, but to be seen more prominently. That was a more difficult decision than what to do with his appearance. In the end however, he chose not to draw too much attention to himself just yet.

Nevertheless, he remained vigilant.

Kennedy said goodbye to the crowd she was speaking with so she could join the rest of the X-Men on their march. As they lined up and prepared to walk, a moment of reflection consumed her. Her father had died because of who he hated and at this moment Kennedy was in defiance of that hatred. Senator Robert Kelly's legacy would be forever tied to his hatred of mutants and Kennedy's would be tied to her love of them. She found strength in this act of protest because it was in this march that she finally accepted herself as the mutant she was.

Maeve followed suit with the rest of her team. She'd came out of her shell a little after talking to a little girl called April, she said she loved the 'costume' Maeve was wearing and that she thought she was pretty. Maeve had taken a small stone from the ground and moulded its design to be that of an X inside a flower and gave it to April, a keepsake and hopefully something to be treasured. However, April had blended back into the crowd with her mother and Maeve was beginning to march forward.

Bliss had made her way from her new friends through the marchers. Her mood improved as she touched hands with people as she proceeded to the front. These were the people she needed to worry about, she could deal with her issues on her own time. By the time she got caught up with her teammates she felt invigorated and ready to move the world to help the kids behind her.

United as one, the X-Men took the first steps in the grand march over the Arlington Memorial Bridge into Washington, D.C. Hundreds of people followed at their back, their murmurs carrying softly into the wind. The first few nervous steps soon shifted into more confident strides. Chuckles and idle chatter began to rise up as the marchers felt more comfortable.

"Fuck muties!"

"No more mutants!"

"Mutations are communist bullshit!"

The epithets began to overwhelm the march for a moment, giving enough people pause that the rhythm and flow of their footsteps started to break. Lines of marchers began to split up and collide as everyone tried to regain their footing. Overall the morale began to sink, giving cause to wonder if the crowd's spirit would break.

But then a voice lifted up from somewhere in the middle, loud and true. It was a woman with a mezzo-soprano range.

"If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life...
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife...
I'd thank my lucky stars to be livin' here today...
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can't take that away..."

At first the counter-protesters jeered in response, but enough people joined in that the chorus rang out loud and proud over everything else. Lights began to sparkle and shoot in the air overhead. Hundreds of voices came together and pushed back the hatred with one song.

"And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free!
And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me!
And I'd gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today...
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land!
God bless the USA!"

The original young woman who first started the song held out the note twice as long as everyone else. As if in response to the sound of her voice, the light show blew up into a gigantic firework show that duplicated the stars and stripes of the American flag across the sky. The mesmerizing display lingered a few seconds after the chorus finally faded back into the happy murmuring, with several people cheering the young blonde girl.

Kennedy thought she might cry, all of them had been rejected in some form or another thanks to the presence of the X-Gene. But this group of people loved and supported them not despite of being a mutant but because of it. It was the most public and universal feeling of acceptance she had encountered since finding out she was a mutant. They weren't alone and they weren't hated. As the marched across the bridge, the end came into sight and with it a row of people blocking their path.

The people blocking the path didn't appear to be peaceful protesters or even counter-protesters, they appeared organized and costumed in a fashion that was similar to the X-Men.

"Who is that?" Kennedy asked the rest of her team as each step brought them closer. "Who are those people standing in our way?"

Standing in the middle of the bridge, right near the first struts before it met the land on the DC side, was a row of people in every shape and size. Most of them were notable from news headlines as master criminals and notorious criminals.

There was the Blob, an eight-foot-tall monstrosity with the circumference of a Buick. Next to him was a short blonde in pigtails and a tall, chiseled young man with a strong jaw. On the other side was a pale woman in black leather with a black circle surrounding her left eye and a scoped assault rifle slung over her back. Beside her was a wiry young man with disheveled hair, stooped on his haunches, beside a large, muscular man who was none other than Unus the Untouchable.

Standing in front of the line-up was none other than Mister Stars-and-Stripes himself, the white star emblem on his chest standing out like a beacon of justice and hope for one and all. He slid a round shield off his back, stuck it in the bridge, and rested his foot on it as he leaned forward with his elbow on on his knee.

"That's far enough," said Captain America. "National Defense Council has locked down Washington until the civil unrest has been resolved."

"THIS IS AN AUTHORIZED MARCH," Connor signed. "THERE ARE PERMITS."

"That's not my problem," said Cap. "This march is. Go on home now. Don't make trouble where there doesn't need to be any."

"STAND ASIDE," Connor said. "WE ARE MARCHING TO THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL. YOU SHOULD JOIN US."

Cap shook his head. "Can't do that." He stuck his fingers between his lips and gave a whistle. "Freedom Force! Present arms!"

One by one, the line-up of mutant GIs made ready for battle. Those with visible powers demonstrated them while those who relied on weaponry or other gear presented as ordered.

"Last chance," Cap said. "Domino here alone can put a thousand-yard shot right on the pip without batting an eye. Do the right thing, X-Men. Think of the children."

Ethan rolled his eyes, that was always the excuse of compromise, think of the children.

Maeve moved forward a little, "There are a lot of people around, Connor. These guys don't look like they are messing around." she said quietly just behind him as she looked at the exceedingly large blob of a man. She didn't want to startle anyone into making any quick or rash decisions. "But if we back down then what does that say about us? We can fight without throwing a punch. We could just sit? Let them be the aggressors, not us." she suggested. 'Sit ins' worked in the past right? "If anything I can rip up this road and put a barrier between us all..." she was ready for anything but wanted to avoid a fight at all costs. Her mind cast back to that little girl April, she didn't want anyone to get hurt.

Bliss held her ground in front of the peaceful march, but she had words for someone who had been a personal hero.
"So Captain America, is this going to be like Selma? Are you going to be at the front with the fire hoses and the attack dogs? Or will this be like Kent State, where innocent Marchers were shot down by people only following orders. Or is this going to be like Tiananmen's Square? One man or woman can make a difference. Isn't that what you used to say?"

The Star-Spangled Hero rolled his eyes and sighed as Bliss continued.

"Doesn’t matter what the press says. Doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world — 'No, you move'."

"I memorized that from a history book. You said that about the Nazis. So, when did you switch to the side of the fascists? Or were you always on their side?"

"Hey! We gon' squash them or what?" Blob called out.

"I don't like the looks of this," said Hayden. "Captain America and mutants...standing against Americans and mutants...this isn't right, Connor. I can use the river water to create a mist, but I don't want to retreat. What do we do?"

Whilst waiting for Connor’s response, Aurora took to the air hovering just behind Connor where she could easily telekinetically shield the team if she needed to. “Captain, if we wanted to hurt anyone we could, we’re here peacefully in support of all mutants.”

"I can do this all day," Cap said at length. "Preach all you want, but you're not taking another step and that's final."

Connor took a breath. It was time to decide. "WE HAVE THE RIGHT," he finally signed. "THE PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT. X-MEN, MOVE THEM ASIDE BUT DO NOT HARM THEM IF IT CAN BE HELPED. WE MARCH."

Aurora nodded at Connor’s order. “That I can do.” Remembering her training with Jean she split her focus and parted both sides of the path, gently pushing back those in the way with an invisible field, holding them both back for the march to move through.

"Not one more step?" Bliss casually stepped up to Cap and tapped her foot against the shield shoved into the bridge. She extended her tactile telekinesis to the shield. "Does that one count? Or one more?"

To the utter shock or many or few, the iconic round shield crumpled like a fortune cookie underneath Bliss's boot.

"Oh, for fuck's sake..." 'Cap' grumbled. Jumping back from Escapade, his hands reached behind his back and accessed twin Uzis which were then aimed straight ahead. "Freedom Force! Bag'em and tag'em!"

Blob cackled and charged forward with one lumbering step at a time. He was the only one who had been unmoved by Aurora's telekinetic sweep.

"Light them up, Domino," said Unus as he took a knee and crouched with his fingers plugged into his ears. His forcefield would provide a perfect bunker and sniper stand for Domino to take aim and fire.

Cannonball charged forward, his body an airborne fiery blur as his power activated. Wild Child was not far behind him with talons outstretched. Bringing up the rear was Boom-Boom with glowing balls already charged in her hands.

Without a second thought, Iris concentrated hard on staying hidden and grabbed the Reverend’s hand, running as fast as her little legs could carry her, which was tricky as the Reverend hadn’t quite cottoned on to what she was doing at first, but he recovered quickly and followed her willingly. All she knew was that she had to protect the non-mutant and she was no good at fighting anyway.

Kennedy reached into the pouch that was strapped to her thigh. Along with her red lipstick a collapsible bow was concealed inside. Not wanting to display the weapon in public but also not wanting to be caught unprepared again, the clever device allowed her to carry sight unseen. With a firm shake of her wrist the pieces of the bow snapped and locked into place, she wouldn’t be performing any long-distance shots with it but it was better than nothing.

Setting her sights on Boom Boom, Kennedy tested out her other new trick. Using her focus and imagination together, she created an arrow out of pure energy that she nocked into her bow. Without any hesitation she fired the arrow at Boom-Boom’s feet. The shot wasn’t lethal but it went off like a firecracker right in front of her toes. It was enough to make Boom Boom jump back in order to avoid any real harm.

Kennedy’s painted lips curled into a smile at the look of disgust on Boom Boom’s face. “Wanna dance?”

The small-scale detonation sent Boom-Boom tumbling sideways, though she quickly rolled to her feet. "Yeah, let's rock!" she retorted, throwing two bouncing balls of fire toward Kennedy. "Tick, tock!"

While Kennedy's bow wasn't meant for distance it worked just fine for speed. The bounce of the fire balls was fairly predictable and Kennedy was able to time her shots with the ascent of each ball. Her arrows caused the balls explode as they reached the height of each bounce and an almost firework of an explosion occurred as they were destroyed.

"More like time's up." Generating another arrow Kennedy locked onto Boom-Boom and kept her frozen in place. Any move she made would result in the arrow being released.

Meanwhile, Cannonball blew past Bliss, knocking her to the ground. The action spared Bliss from the hail of gunfire the twin Uzis sprayed indiscriminately over her head, but it also knocked her right in the path of the Blob.

"Hey, girlie!" he said with a tongue that sounded far too big for his mouth. "Blob's gonna smash you like a pancake!" And he did just that. Jumping into the air, Blob landed on Bliss with a leg drop that was ready for prime-time WrestleMania. "Say Uncle and we'll put a nice collar around your pretty lil' neck!"

The wet sound of a watermelon exploding from Gallagher's Sledge-O-Matic" erupted from underneath the blobs attack. Bliss was crushed underneath the pavement and the blob's potent attack. From her perspective, she could hear her ribs grinding together as well as the cracking of the pavement underneath them. The taste of pennies convinced her she was bleeding internally. This was not exactly how she expected to die. But at least it was unique.

Cannonball kept up his flight path like a blazing meteorite straight for the rest of the X-Men. From one side, Wild Child lunged for Connor who had been behind Bliss, and took a slash with his talons, causing Connor to jump back. From there, automatic fire began to open up from the two gun-wielding foes—Cap and Domino, who was hunkered behind Unus.

Everything happened so quickly. Hayden dodged and rolled to get into a better position and out of the direct line of fire. Well, as much as that was possible. She stood up and stretched her arms out to her sides, fingers spread. It took a few moments, but water from the river came spiraling up and twisted around her shoulders. She balled her hands into fists and then brought her arms forward, pointing them at the feet of the ones in front of them. A forceful jet stream of river water shot out and continued as long as she kept bringing the water up.

The rushing wall of water caught the bullets in mid-flight and pulled them away in a safer trajectory. A shrill scream came up from Cap's throat that was distinctly feminine. "Damn it!" Tapping his ear to listen to the hidden piece, Cap sighed. "Collateral damage is authorized. Proceed with lethal force."

Connor dropkicked Wildchild and sent him careening back to the starting line where Freedom Force had first taken position. "UNACCEPTABLE. WE MUST STOP THEM QUICKLY BEFORE ANYONE GETS HURT."

Ethan's first thought was to attack Captain America who he had once admired, but not thought was a total prick. Instead, however he launched himself into the air and flew straight toward Unus. It was, assuming he could penetrate the forcefield, the right move strategically taking out not only one opponent but helping to carve a path for his teammates. His claws were extended and dripping neurotoxin, he wasn't playing around.

With all that was going on around them you could easily get lost in the chaos. Maeve could hear screams, shouts and cries for help as the X-Men engaged the Freedom Force. The voice and reaction from Captain America was odd, this wasn't how she had heard the man was, he was meant to be honorable and she couldn't believe America's golden boy would authorize collateral damage. Maeve watched Domino take aim without a care for the crowd behind them her heart skipped a beat as bullets flew. Throwing her hand behind her she open palmed the ground as the road began to rumble and crumble apart. From the ground rose a wall of stone, of the very road that lay before them as the bullets struck stopping them in their tracks.

Unfortunately one bullet clipped Maeve's shoulder and caused her to falter. She pulled up some of the surrounding stone and formed spheres she would launch at Domino and Unus. It did nothing but explode when it hit the shield Unus provided. So, thinking differently she began to warp the ground as Domino and Unus' feet began to sink into their once solid footing.

"Oh, shit!" Domino jumped atop of Unus and his forcefield, an action that pushed the other man through the quicksand-like texture of the bridge, falling down to the Potomac River below. But Domino jumped and flipped onto the nearby railing and raised her rifle at Maeve, identifying her as the obvious culprit.

Maeve was shocked that even worked as well as it had done. It was the first time she'd ever tried anything like that and to be honest it was just her imagining that in her mind. Sadly she had hoped both would fall but noticing that Domino had evaded Maeve's attack only seemed to focus her attention. She felt it was quite 'lucky' that she managed to get to where she'd landed.

Noticing the rifle aimed at her Maeve went into protective mode and threw up a barrier of stone to protect herself as a shot rang true. Unluckily there must have been a gap, a minute, minuscule gap that that bullet seemed to squeeze through and penetrate Maeve's left shoulder in a more definitive fashion this time causing her to grip it and fall backwards. However, as she fell she'd also began to twist the railing to make Domino falter.

Seeing his would-be opponent fall, he cursed to himself. He'd been looking forward to seeing if his powers enhanced from the Savage Lands could be someone as formidable as Unus and now that wouldn't happen. He'd just have to adapt. He just wasn't sure who to target next.

Then, in his peripheral vision, he saw Domino's shot hit Maeve. He pivoted mid-air. He landed in front of her and with talons still extended feinted an attack at her face as if he was going to take out her eyes. He retracted his claws at the last second and grabbed for her gun instead, wrestling it out of her hands.

TAG ETHAN - CORNER DOMINO AND MAKE HER FEE

Aurora was trying to keep an eye in every direction from above, seeing Maeve raise the stone barrier before gripping her shoulder, she flew closer tossing a ball of flame at Domino as she did so before looking to Maeve. “How bad is your shoulder? Can you manage?”

Seeing no other way to avoid the wall of flame or Ethan's inbound attack, Domino tossed her rifle aside and dove off the bridge. She didn't get paid enough for this shit.

“She doesn’t need to...” Kayleigh rushed through the crowd. She’d hung back out of the way until now but she was needed now. She looked at Maeve as she reached out her hand. “Just hold still...” she placed her hand on Maeve’s shoulder and a few moments later Maeve’s wound was a lot better than it had been, not completely healed but enough. “That’s all I can...” Kayleigh stumbled to her feet clutching her shoulder, which now bore the worst of Maeve’s injury. “All I can...do.”

Maeve let out a small sharp scream as he wound began to close. The wound had been large, the bullet used by Domino causing a fair bit of damage that seemed now to be absorbed onto Kayleigh. Now they were both in pain but Maeve's somewhat more subdued that it had been. She was still bleeding but not as heavily as before. "Thank you." She placed a hand on Kayleigh's good shoulder hoping a tactile touch would bring her focus back.

"What about—" Maeve turned in fear of another Domino attack but thankfully she'd left the scene. That was lucky...

Wildchild came twirling at Connor again, but Connor shifted left for a fake out, ducked right, and then landed an uppercut on the wiry little man right to the jaw. Down for the count, Wildchild sprawled out flat on his back.

Looking around, Connor saw Blob still pinning Bliss in place despite her attempts to wrestle free. His gravitational power of immobility was just too great. He also saw the boy Atticus, stuck with his wheelchair turned on one side in the stampede to escape the gunfire. Connor had to make a decision.

"HOODWINK! HELP THE BOY!" He didn't know where Iris was, but he pointed out Atticus and hoped she was nearby. He made a dash for Blob.

Before Iris could get to Atticus, though, a stray bullet caught his abdomen. His whimpering turned to wailful cries for help.

Iris resisted the urge to rage rush the idiots with guns and throttle them senseless. That wouldn’t help the kid in the wheelchair, after all. Instead, she took a deep breath and ran towards him. Grabbing hold of his wheelchair, she started pushing him to safety as she concentrated on staying hidden. “Don’t worry,” she told him. “I’m sure there’s a healer around somewhere.”

"GET OFF HER," Connor said to Blob. He laid in rapid combo punches to Blob's chest but quickly saw they had no effect.

"Bahaha! Who are you supposed to be? Some kind of robot boy?" Blob laughed spittle into Connor's face. "Klaatu barada nikto!"

A wide backhand from Blob sent Connor spinning head over heels. He sprawled out against the railing and slid down to the curb, the wind knocked out of him.

"When will you X-Dweebs ever lear—"

Blob's remark was cut off by a crimson optic blast straight to his face.

"Get your fat ass off her, you walking pimple!" Cyclops had finally made his way to the frontline against the current of fleeing people. Having faced off against Blob in the past, he knew not to give any quarter or hesitation.

"Owww!" Blob shook his head back and forth and even stretched out his hands in vain attempts to keep the optic blast out of his face, but Cyclops merely widened the beam for an unavoidable dispersal.

"Get! Off!" Cyclops shouted, pressing both hands against his visor for a more intense blast.

"Fine! Keep the twerp!" Blob rolled away from Bliss and started crawling away on all fours, his eyes temporarily but totally blinded.

The only way you could tell Bliss was still alive under the crushing leg drop of Blob was the helpless kicking of the x man's legs from under the tons of mass of the Freedom Force member. As blob rolled off her, she struggled to catch her breath. She used her remaining power to guide Blob off the bridge and into the waters below.

"Son of a bitch," Cap groused as the scene unfolded and left him standing alone. The twin Uzis were thrown to the ground and put his hands in the air. No shield meant surrender when it came to Cyclops. "You wouldn't harm a national treasure, would you?"

"Steve Rogers is a World War 2 veteran," Cyclops said, turning to the Freedom Force leader. "He's got to be over 70 if he's a day. Who do you think you're fooling?"

Captain America's face split into a wolfish grin. "Worked on the rest of your crew. I guess good help really is hard to find." Backing up to the edge of the rail, Steve Rogers morphed into a blue-skinned woman with red hair and yellow eyes. Her smug demeanor didn't drop one bit. "Do it, X-Man, and make it good. If they know I stood down, they'll lock me up and throw away the key."

Cyclops smirked. "Gladly."

He fired off an optic blast that sent Mystique flying into the sky before a gentle arc brought her down in a splash. Turning around, he looked at Connor before nodding at the rest of the team.

"X-MEN, SOUND OFF," Connor signed, catching Scott's meaning and repeating Cameron's old catchphrase.

“HOODWINK!” called Iris from quite a distance. She had somehow managed to get a lot of people- both mutants and non-mutants- to safety and had been standing guard over the Reverend as he performed first aide on Atticus while they waited for a healer.

“Enigma, right here!” Aurora flew into sight having been concentrating on trying to keep others out of the fight, and out of harm’s way. She touched down at Connor’s side giving Cyclops a respectful nod as she did so.

Hayden had stopped with the water cannons some time ago as it was tiring her out. She rid the bridge of the standing water and puddles so that it'd be easier for everyone to march across. "Calypso present and accounted for!" she called out.

Bliss waved a hand as she struggled to her feet. Bright crimson dripped from her nose and lips.
"Escapade, present and reporting for duty sir."
But her words came out as a wet rasp. The good news was she still got to her wobbly feet.

Forcing Boom-Boom to willingly jump off the edge of the bridge in a less than elegant dive, Kennedy was finally able to dissolve her kinetic arrow and lower her bow. Returning to the rallying X-Men she sounded off. "Artemis here."

Aurora turned to Bliss noting her condition. “We should get you out of here, you need medical attention.”

Kayleigh stumbled into view from where she’d been sitting since healing Maeve. “I would try and help but...” she didn’t say anything else as she practically crumpled to the floor.

“Hold on, I’ve got you” Aurora turned to Kayleigh telekinetically lifting her from the floor. “Let’s get you some medical help.”

"Morrigan, mostly here," she grumbled. She was pretty sure parts of her had leaked out onto the bridge and surrounding area. Thankfully due to Kayleigh she was in better shape than she had been but still felt her shoulder and arm were out of service at the moment.

Once everyone had made themselves and their statuses known, Connor took a deep breath and assessed the next course of action. There seemed to be no pressing threat at the moment, so the march could continue, except that people were fleeing in every which direction.

"MISSION PARAMETERS HAVE CHANGED," Connor said. "THIS IS NOW DISASTER RELIEF. FLAG EVERYONE IN NEED OF CRITICAL CARE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS. GUIDE EVERYONE TO FLEE AWAY FROM THE SCENE AND AID ANYONE WHO CANNOT READILY DO SO."

Nodding with approval, Scott added, "You should all probably make yourselves scarce before the authorities arrive though. We'll handle any leftovers. Just do whatever you can and split while the splitting is still good." Looking around, he said, "My place is closer than the X-Mansion. If anyone can't wait to get back there, let's get them with me."

“Got one right here, Scott.” Aurora gently placed Kayleigh down. “Kayleigh healed Maeve at the cost of her own health, she needs to get back now.”

"Roger that," Scott said.

To Be Continued...

 

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